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(Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1.

B. FRANKLIN.

CALENDAR CLOCK. l 110.279,143. Patented June 12,1883.

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ZaZ/nme/s' 156.9 M

' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. B. FRANKLIN. CALENDAR CLOCK.

(Mdel.)

N0. 279,143. Patented June 12, 1888'.

` UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLIN-ois As'sIGNOR OF ONEHALF Tov YFRANCIS MORSE, OF SAME-PLACE.

CALENDAR-CLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 279,143, dated June 12, 1883.

Application iiled October 1Q, li-'l. (Model.) Q

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1', BENJAMIN F LANKLIN, ol' the city oi (,lhieago, county of (look, and State ot' Illinois, have invented a new and uselul Improvement iu Calendar-Clocks, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l. shows a front view ofthe cloek-dial, with the hour, minute, and day hands indicated thereon. Fig. 2 is a back viewof a part of the dial, showing the calendar mechanism attached thereto. Fig.v 3 is a view of the front plate ot' the frame-work of thc clock, showing the connection ofthe day-wheel77 therewith. Fig. l is a face view ot' the wheel or disk which serves to propel the day-hand on'the dial, the reverse side or back ol' said wheel being shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a perspective detail view ol the detent for controlling the movement ot' the disk or month-wheel, the secondary stop for assisting therein, and the connection ofv the same with the dial, which is broken away.

' Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the calendar mechanism cut through the line 6 (i, as shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a back view ot' the ratehet-wheel, shown upon the disk in Fig. 4, with its accompanying cam-wheel for indicat ing the short months. Fig. S is a detail view oi' a movable tooth attached to the monthwheel, and shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 9 is a back view o1 the counting7 or four-year wheel, showing` its eccentric, a front view ot' said wheel being shown in Fig. 2.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in the different figures. y

In the construction of calendar-clocks little, it' any, advancement has been made upon the imperfect and now almost obsolete mechanism requiring special' adjustment tor all of the shorter months, as well as leap-year. All attempts toward such advancement have em-v bodied such complicated mechanism, or have required such delicacy of adjustment, that they have been largely impracticable, even in the more expensive clocks, while in none, owing particularly to the extreme nicety ot' adjustment necessary therein, has certainty of action been insured.

My purpose, and the object of my invention, l

is to provide a calendar-clock mechanism that may be readily applied to the works of an ordinary clock without an extra dial or an enlargement oi' space, and which shall be per petual in its Inovement, or, rather, so constructed that it shall automatically indicate all 5 5 the changes in the-various n'lonths, including `leap-year, which mechanism shall be cheap,

simple, and compact in its construction, as well as certain and positive in its action. l accomplish this object by the use ot' a wheel 6o or disk having thirty-one teeth upon its periphery` and being concentric with the clockdial. Upon the hub oi' this wheel, which l shall call the month-wheel," and concentric therewith, is a star-wheel of seven points connected with the mouth -wheel by a frictional spring pressing with sut'ncient Aforce against the month-wheel to revolve the same, except when the latter is purposely stopped. rlhis staiewheel is actuated `by a pin in the 7o periphery ot" the day-wheel-such as is well known to the art-which engages with the Carr non-pinon, and revolves once each day, causing one-seventh ot' a revolution ot' the starwlieel. This in turn produces a movement of the month-wheel equal to four and three sevenths notches or teeth on its periphery, each of which represents a day, asv shown by the day-hand on the dial. It is apparent that this extended movement of the month-wheel. 8O is only necessary once in each year-viz., in February of all years, except leap year. To prevent it at other times, therefore, I interpose a stop or detent, which is raised by the pin in the day-wheel and allowed to drop into the succeeding notch, when the revolution of the month-wheel is arrested and the star-wheel completes its movement. I also provi de means for preventing the fall of the detent until after thepin in the day-wheel has begun to act on 9o the star-wheel. To prevent the detent from dropping into all the notches I provide a dog, which is in the same plane withthe monthwheel, and pivoted thereto, and which, when raised to the out-er circumference of the month- -9 5 wheel, prevents the stop from acting thereon,

and forms a slide, upon which the latter is carried over one or three teeth, as may be required, to indicate a thirty or twenty-eight day month. The dog is actuated by a cam IOO having a separate projection for each of the short months, which engages with a tooth upon the dog. This mechanism is suflicient to indicate all the changes except that of leap-year. at which time it Ais appinfent that the dog would be raised, as in other years, and would cause the detent to pass over three teeth. To prevent this lV jin'ovide a movable tooth or dog, which is actuated by an eccentric making oue complete revolution every four Ivears, said'dog being placed at the side of the twentvninth tooth of the month-wheel, and toi-ming bv rits movementI an elongation thereof evcrjr fourth lvear. This elongated tooth is thereby brought in cmitact with the detent, thus indicating the tweuty-ninth dav of 1*.ebruar'viu leap'vear. l also provide nlmlitications of the mechanism last described for indicating the short .mouths and the extra da)r in leapvear, which, together with the devices above mentioned, will be hereinafter lnore fully set forth and definitely pointed out in the claims.

vIn the drawings, A. rejaesents the mouthwheel, having thirty-one teeth upon its periphery, a back. view ol' which wheel .is shown in Fig. 2. Said wheel has a cvlimlrical hub, u. (Better shown inFig. `liooselvattached to said hub (l, and concentric therewith, is a swell-pointedsta1.-whecl, B, which is retained in position by a` bifurcated friction plate or spring, b, which partialtvV encompasses said hub, and is j )ressed into a groove, I/, encircling said hub near its end. A depression in the star-wheel and a corresponding 'projection on the springfplate at b serves to retain said plate in position and toenable it to be readily reiuoved when desired by springing the saine out o't' the depression, when it can be slid out of the groove. 'The pressure ot' the springplate b against the .tlange .in the hub, formed b v the groove b, presses the star-wheel B, with which it revolves. against a sl'ioulder, I, Fig. (i, prtulucing a suflieientamount of friction to propel the nionth-wluwl Av when the st a r-wheel l), is actuated.

Rigidly secured to the back ofthe dial C more clearly shown in Fig. 5) is a metal plate, l), upon which is a cylindrical projection or boss, e, at the center ot' the dial, through which the arborfot' the hour and minute hands proj eet, and into which the Yfront end of the hub a of the 1nouth-wheel is inserted, thus forming a pivotal bearing for the latter, ou the outer end of which is fixed, against the shoulder d, Figs. 1t, t, and l0, the day-hand d, Fig. 1..

Upon. the plate D is fixed a post, e, Figs. L and 5, to which is secured one end ot' a spring, c', the other end ot which is bent in a V shape,

and the whole so adjusted that the bent portion may 'press between the teeth of thc day-v wheel and forni a stop to keep the same in position, when it is not otherwise securei'l, in the manner common for such purposes.

Upon the upper portion ofthe plate l) is a pin, j', 2 ando, upon which is pivoted a detent or stop, E, clearly shown in the drawings, having a projecting arm, y', extending laterally outward and downward therefrom, at

such an angle as will enable the pin in the dav-wheel to engage therewith, so as to lift said arm. 'lhe forward end of the deteut F drops down into the notches oli the monthvwheel A. To secure certaintjv of' action in this respectthe detent iis :made to project back of riveted or otherwise secured a spring, y, the purpose ot' which istohold up the detent when raised b v the dav-wheel` in the manner and t'or the purpose .hereinafter more l'ull v described. This spring should be so ai'ljusted that when not under tension the distance between its lower end and that ol' the detent should be less than the length ot' the notches in the month-wheel, as 'well as .less than the width of the teeth, to prevent straddli ng them.

F, Fig. 5%, shows thc lfront plate, forming a part of the frame :for supporting` thctrain ol' an ordinary clock. l: is the caimon-pinion or Muir-wheel, the arbor /i of which extends through thchubn ofthe inontlrwheel. Secured to the plate F by a postin the usual manner, and engaging with the hour-wheel /1, is the daywheel i, the pin l" ot' which engages `with the arin ,f/ and the star-wheel lv.` and may also engage with a disk in the usual inanuer, and 1e veal iu succession the name ol each dav ol' the week through a suitaljle slot iu shown in Fig. l.

(.)n the tront t'aeeof the month-wheel and next to the dial, is placed a twelve-toothed ratchet-wheel, (i, Figs. J.. and T, provided with stop j, constructed in the usual inode, secured to said month-wheel, and which engages with the teeth of said ratchet as the same revolves. Between the ratchet-wheel (i andthe n1onthwheel, and secured rigidly, so as to move with said ratchet, is a cam-wheel, H. (Shown in Fig. 7, and indicated in dotted lines infFig. at.) The can1-wheel H has live projections, lr, the ii'ftli of which is longer than the others. Ou the side ofthe month-wheel A, and pivoted at I, near its outer circumference, l place a movable dog, I, so adjusted as to drop readily between the ratchetwvheel (l and the month wheel A, and having a projection or tooth, 4m, which is hidden by the ratchet G in Fig. J., but shown in Fi l0, to fall into the spaces between the projeeti 011s or teeth k ot' the canrwheel H. Such tooth should be so adjusted that when resting on any one ofthe l'our shorter projec tions, ls, a portion, n, ofthe dog 11n-ay be pushed out so as to be even with or extend bevond the outer end ofthe thirty-'lirst tooth of the monthwheel and cover the notch between that and the thirtieth tooth to prevent an engagement of the detent E with the former. Then the tooth ym ofthe dogl'restsl uponthelongest prothe dial, as

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IIS

be so shaped asl to cover three` teethof the month-wheel-viz. ,the twenty-ninth thirtieth,

and thirty-rst. Astaple or keeper, 0, Fig.k 4, is secured tok the month wheel', beneath which-the loose-end ot the dog I moves, and which serves to limit thev outwardv movement of said dog and` to-hold the samey laterally in position.. A pin, p, secured rigidly to the wheels G and- H, and forming their axis, passes through them and through the monthwheel A into a third wheel, J, Figs. 2 and. 6, to which it is detaehably secured, preferably by a pin, as -shown in Fig. 2, insueh manner as that the wheels G, H, and .I may revolve in. unison.

Engagingy with the wheel J, Fig. 2, is a counting-wheel, K, Figs. 2 and 9, which likewise revolves upon a post securedA tothe month-wheel.- On the inner side ofthe counting-wheel K is an eccentric, q, Fig. 9, which serves by its revolution to elongate asupplelnentary tooth, L, Figs. 2 and S, the hole q therein being made to `fit the eccentric q, and the end of said tooth being held in position alongside-ot' the twenty-ninth tooth of the month-wheel by the staple-or keeper r, which serves as a guide for thetooth in its reciprocating movement.

Upon the yplate D, sufficiently near to the boss c to engage the ratchet-wheel G with each revolution of the inonth-wheel, I placeA a post or pin, s, which is rigidly secured to` the plate D.

In place ofthe mechanismdescribed for registering the short months, asingle wheel adjusted upon the face of the month-wheel so asto revolve once in four years may beV used, said wheel having upon its periphery twenty teeth, sixteen of which maybeof equal length, arranged in sets of four, between which are four longer teeth, three being of equal length and one of intermediate.length between them and the short teeth, said teeth engagingwith the tooth ofthe dog I, in like manner as those of the wheel H engage therewith, the .sixteen shorter teeth throwing said dog out to provide for the thirty-day months, the` three longest teeth for February when the `same hastwentyeight days, and the intermediate toothfor February ofleap-year. By means of this mechanism the tooth Il may be dispensed with; but owing to the finer adjustments necessary in its adaptation I regard tlie same vas an inferior equivalent of the mechanism above described.

Secured to the back ofthe dial by a post in the usual manner Iplace a twelve-pointed-disk, O, Fig. 2, in such proximity to the monthwheel'as that its pointsor teeth may be en gaged by a pin preferably projecting from the front of said month-wheel. Upon thefront of said disk O may be shown the naines of the months, which may be revealed through aslot in the dial, as indicated in 1, in the manner frequently adopted.

Having thus describedthe'various `parts-emjustl been raised.

bodying luy-invention, I' will proceed to dcscribe their operation.'-

Assuming the various parts ot' said mechanismto be adjusted with reference to eachother in tliemanner above described, the action of said parts upon each other as follows: As the wheel yiy revolves the pin i engages with the army ofthe detent ll, and raises said detent out of the notch in which the same has fallen inthe periphery of the month-wheel A, the auxiliary stop c in the meantime resting between the teeth. of said mouth-wheel and preventing any possible movement of the saine. ',Fliereupon the spring g, whichshould .be very weak, assuming itsnormal. position, as shown in Fig. 5, comes in cont-act with the top of the succeeding tooth ofthe month-wheel and rests thereon, thereby preventing the detent from falling back into the notch `from which it has Leaving the detent E thus resting upon the top ot' said tooth, the pin i passes on and engages with the star-wheel B, whi 'ch being hel d by the fricti oi i -plate b against the shoulder of' the month-wl'leel, causes t-he lat-ter to revolve until the detent vlil drops into the-succeeding notch, which, being wider than the width ofthe detent and the space occupied by the bent spi-ing y, allows said detent and spring to drop therein, when, the friction of the star-wheel on the month wheel being greater than the resista-nce of the spring g, which I prefer to make very light, said spring is pressed against the detent and prevented by the action ofthe auxiliary stop c from producing a backward movement of the monthwheel A, but is readyto again spring outward as soon as the detent is raised and support the same upon the end ofthe succeeding tooth until the month-wheel is turned. As the movement of the month-wheel is controlled by the day-wheel, it is apparent that its action is very slow, requiring several minutes to move from one notch to another. This insures certainty of action on thel part ofv the detent, in' which respect it differs from the calendar-clocks heretofore in use, the corresponding changes in which are sudden, and therefore often uncertain. The pressure of the spring in the rear oi' the detent serves further to insure its positive action. f As the clock may be adjusted to produce the movementof the day-wheel during the night, the few minutes required for that are therefore unobjeetionable. As previously stated, the fri ction-wheel 'B makes one-seventh of arevolution for each revolution of the daywheel, which is equivalent to four and threesevenths teeth of the,month-wheel; but as this ext-renie movement is required but once in each year the stop E and other mechanism is interposed to meet the required modifications. It

is apparent that the wheel B might-move continuously, and by the intel-position of the detent and other mechanism in the manner deI scribed would accomplish the same result in substantially the same way, which I should regard as but an inferi or equivalent for my inven- IOO IIO

tion. As the .month -wheel revolves the teeth oi' the twelve-pointed ratiehet -wheel G engage with the stationary pin s, thereby moving said wheel one-twelfth ol' a revolution, and henee it it`ollows that the eam-wheel H, bei-ng rigid with the wheel (il, revolves but once per year, and, the tive projections thereon being` adjusted with referenee to the live short months, serve tothrow the dog l out duri 11g said months, and, the detent l being thereby prevented t'rom dropping into the notehes ot' the n1ontl1 wheel, rides over the same andthe teeth until the projection on said dog, whieh is at the side ot' the thirty-first tooth, is passed, when it again drops sueeessivel y into the notehes; and, as in the next month the tooth in ot' the dog l. has dropped into a depression in the eamwhee'l H, the detent is permitted to engage all the teeth ol' the montlewheel, and thus indieate thirty-one days on the dial. rlhe vl'our projeetions on the earn-wheel ll being ot' an equal length, the dog l is thrown out sut'lieiently to eause the detent ll to ride over one noteh, thus indicating thirty days l'or eaeh ol' those months. rllhe ti tth projection ol'the cam-wheel ll. being longer, throws the dog out suiiieiently to eov er three notehes or teeth, thus indi eating twenty-eight days ou'the dial, but it is obvious that this movement is eonstant, thus making no provision `t'or leap-year; henee lf am eompelled to adopt means to modify it at that time. t`onneetiug the wheel .l to the axis ot' the wheel (l a yearly movement isprodueed in the l'ormer, whieh, engaging with the eountA ing-wheel .l\', revolves it onee in l'our years by tour sueee sive movements, and as the tooth L adjusted upon the eeeent rieI q it is apparent that'every t'ourth year it will projet-t out`- Yard from the twenty-ninth tooth, `remaining in that position l'or twelve n'ionths. The de tent Eisthus eaught upon thetooth Ii, and. arresting the movement ol' the monthwl1eel, causes the twentyalinth day ol' l `ebrlu1ryin eaeh leap-year to be indieated upon the dial.

,In ord'er to set the ealendar it` is but neeessary to press the month-hand gently to the right, in whieh ease, it'the detent l] is raised, as deseribed, thehaind lnay be readily moved, otherwise it is advisable to wait until this action takes plaee, whieh usually oeeurs about tive oeloek in the atternoon.

lt is obvious that the t'rietioirwheel AI may be replaced by a pinion engaging direetly with theI day-wheel, and propelling themonth-wheel by trietional eontaet may move Constantly; but this l should regard only as an inferior equivalent ot' the star-wheel B, and aless pret'- erable mode ot' applying my invention.

In lieu ot' the meehanism hereinbet'ore de seribed, the last three teeth on the inonthwheel may be eut away and movable teeth capable ot' elongation, as required to int'lieate the varying number ot.' days in eaeh month, (the same being operated by cams or eeoentries properly adjusted tor that j iurpose,) may be inserted, in which ease the dog ll may be dispensed with, as there would then be nothing to engage the detent between the twenty-eighth and lirst tooth ol" the month-wheel when said movable teeth were not thrown out, One or three movable teeth on one side ofthe monthwheel :may be thrown out or withdrawn, so as to indicate the short months in all years exeept leap-year, at lwhich time a iourth tooth maybe thrown out on the opposite side ot'the month wheel to engage the deteut l'or the twenty-ninth day ol' February, at whieh time it is obvious that all the others would. be withdrawn. v

A. it'urther moditieation, and a somewhat simpler one in its construetion,wouldbe, at'ter eutting away said last: three teeth, to provide teeth upon the dog l, in whieh ease said dog may he madeto engage direetl y with the ratehetwvheel (l, instead ot' the eailiavlleel fl-I, said ratehetwheel (l being provided with notiehes or depressions ot varying depths, Yinto whieh thetooth ol' said dog may drop, thus withdrawing one or more otthe teeth ot'said dog l from eont'aet with the detent ll, as may bored uired to indieate t he short months, which, it will be observed, .is the reverse ot' the operation above deseribed, the dog l lbeing withdrawn, instead ot' thrown out, to indieate the short months. using'this lastvdesta'ibed. meehanism a spring should be attaehed to the .l'ree end ol' the dog l t'or the purpose ot' holding the same in the depressions ol' the ratehet when not required to be raised.

l'laving thus described `my invention, what) l elaim, and desire to seeure by Letters Patient. is

l. ealendar-elook j nfovided with a monthwheel having thirtybne teeth, and actuated by a wheel having t'rietional eontaet` therewith, and adapted to move said month-wheel eaeh day a distanee equal to l'ourteeth upon its periphery, substantially in the manner and t'or the uses and j iurposes deseribed.

2. A ealendar-eloek provided with a monthwheel having thirty-one teeth, and, l'rietional mechanism t'or moving the same eaeh day a distanee suttieieut to .move the hand on the dial it'rom the twentyeighth day ol.' February to the tirst day ol'the sueeeeding month, (fom-- bined with a detent adaptedV to enga-ge sueeessively with all ol' the teeth ot'the montlrwheel to modit'y said extended movement, and a dog operated by a wheel having suitable projeeA tions ot' varying length, so adjusted as to raise said dog to eover one or three teeth ot' the nmntl'i-wheel t'or the various short jmonths, said dog i'orming, when-raised, a slide upon whieh said detent may ride over the adjacent teeth, in the lmanner andtfor the uses and purY poses substantially as described.

il. A, eaflendar-eloek provided with a monthwheel, and `l'rietional mechanism t'or moving the same eaeh day a distance ot' not less than tour teeth on said. wheel, a detent Capable o1' engaging sueeessively with all the teeth oi' the nronthfwheel to modify said. vtour-day move4 .ln the event ot' ment7 a dog, with means for raising the same teeth7 and a Wheel with projections of varying to form a slide for said detent over one or three of said notches, and a movable tooth placed at the side of the twenty-ninth tooth of said month-Wheel, and means for elongating said tooth every fourth year7 in the manner and for the uses and purposes substantially as described.

4. In a calendar-clock, a detent for regulating the daily movement of the month-wheel, said detent being provided with a spring on the side of thetooth of said detent, and capable of resting its lower end upon the outer end or extremity of the next succeeding tooth of said month-Wheel, and thereby temporarily sustaining said detent in a raised position until said succeeding` tooth has passed beneath the tooth of said detent, substantially as described.

5. In a calendar-clock, the combination of a month-Wheel having thirty-one teeth in its periphery7 a detent capable of engaging thesame, a movable dog capable of covering three of said length on its periphery engaging With said dog7 all constructed and adj usted substantially in the manner and for the purposes described.

6. In a cale11clar-clocl ,tl1e combination of a month-Wheel7 a twelve-toothed ratchet-Wheel, a stationary pin to engage the same with each revolution of the month-wheel7 a five-pointed cam-Wheel having one of its projections longer than the others, said ratchet and cam Wheels moving in unisyon with a Wheel on the oppositeA side of the month-Wheel, which engages a counter- Wheel adjusted to revolve once for every four revolutions of said three last-named Wheels7 an eccentric upon the axis of said counter-Wheel, and a movable tooth adjusted thereon, substantially for the uses and purposes described. f

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.

, Vitnesses: 

